Non-Stooge filmography
In addition to their appearances as Stooges, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Curly Howard, Joe Besser, and Joe DeRita appeared in many other films. Moe Howard 1909 ''We Must Do Our Best'' The first known film to feature Moe, in which he played a Bully and was credited as Harry Moses Horwitz. No copies of the film are known to exist. 1910 ''Fish Hookey'' A comedy that featured Moe. No copies of this film are known to exist. 1958 ''Space Master X-7'' A science fiction film directed by an uncredited Edward Bernds and it features Moe in a minor role as a taxi driver. Shemp Howard 1933 ''Salt Water Daffy'' Jack Hanley and Shemp play pickpockets Elmer and Wilbur, who steal a musical, antique pocket watch from a navy admiral. On the lam, when they're discovered, they run into a Naval recruiting officer and are enlisted. Failing in their attempts to convince their doctor that they're 4-f, our heroes wind up in the platoon of CPO Lambert. The bumbling recruits are banished to the recruits' sanitation center, where they accidentally give a reluctant haircut and shave to a visiting European naval dignitary. Again banished, this time to a garbage detail, the boys run into the dignitary once again, but unknown to them he's actually a foreign spy. ''Here Comes Flossie! Father Pa gives his two sons Ezry and Hank 50 dollars to buy each thing that they want. Ezry orders a cow and Hank (Shemp) orders a bride - and both of them are named Flossie. The hired hand played by Ben Blue keeps everyone confused. 1934 ''The Knife of the Party Features Shemp as a lead stooge of four other stooges, but otherwise unrelated to the Three Stooges. ''Pugs and Kisses'' An egotistical prize fighter thinks he has killed his manager, but when he discovers his mistakes, he pretends to be dead. ''Everybody Likes Music'' In the province of Bullvania, the President loses his important papers and war is about to be declared. Detective Shemp Howard and his partner come to save the day. ''Corn on the Cop'' Two hobos try to make a dishonest buck by selling Axe grease as 'Happy Foot Salve' a corn remover. They soon run into the cops, and circumstances have them mistaken by the cop's wife as her visiting nephews. There is a painful scene where Shemp Howard wacks people on the feet with a hammer. ''Art Trouble'' Jack and Joe Burton would rather attend university and study higher mathematics, and are outraged when their parents want them to study art in Paris for six months. So the brothers hire two shipyard painters (Shemp Howard and Harry Gribbon) to take their place in France. Armed with pre-written letters for mater and pater, all they have to do is mail one of them home to acknowledge receipt of each weekly allowance check. That's too much for Shemp to handle, so he mails all of them at once, making Pater Burton think something fishy is going on in Paris. ''My Mummy's Arms'' Two jerks are helpers on Mr. Smith's archaeological dig for the mummy of King Phooey. Kenneth (Shemp) discovers that the mummy will be displayed in Smith's hotel room, and disguises himself as Phooey in an attempt to be next to Mary, Smith's daughter. Phooey's worshipers retrieve the mummy Shemp and when Harry learns that the Egyptian Cult will honor Phooey with a whole month of food and water, he jumps to take Shemp's place. However, the two do not realize that in one month the mummy will be reburied where it can never be found again. ''Smoked Hams'' Shemp and Daphne Pollard are a struggling Husband and Wife vaudeville team who are attempting to sell their old Civil War Era skit to a Broadway producer. Funny bits start with Shemp shaving himself, (a scene that was later repeated in the Stooges short Brideless Groom). Shemp and Daphne attempt to hide there cooking from the landlord, then off to the producer, where they pester him until he finally decides to use their act on stage. ''A Peach of a Pair'' Vaudevillians Cook and Butler have been thrown out of another theater. The Woodburys have gotten rid of their cook and butler. So naturally, Shemp and Emmy mistake an employment agency ad as a place for their act, and arrive at the Woodbury mansion in time to prepare and serve an elegant dinner party. Disaster looms as they cook their first turkey dinner, confuse alum for sugar, get drunk in the wine cellar, and accidentally put the plum pudding with gasoline instead of brandy. 1935 ''His First Flame'' Shemp is Smokey Moe, an unconfident fireman, who gets married to Emmy after she jilts Fire Eating Sam. Smokey invents a powder that is supposed to be able to stop fires, and he and Emmy think up a scheme to impress the fire captain by putting out a fire that was in their own home. But unknown to them, Sam has switched the invention with blasting powder. ''Why Pay Rent? Elmer fixes up a room for his just married freeloading brother-in-law and wife. When the newlyweds show up, Henry (Shemp) bring a surprise in the form of a stepson named Junior. The apartment is now too small, so Henry decides that they'll buy a lot and build it yourself house, which becomes a disaster after Junior switches the house's part numbers. It doesn't help the fact that Elmer, Henry and the wives are all incompetent. ''Convention Girl Babe Laval manages a hotel in Atlantic City. A gambling hall is run by Babe's boyfriend Bill Bradley. Babe, Ward and Bill become targets of Dan Higgins and Tommy Laval's blackmail scheme. Shemp plays Dan Higgins, an attempted murderer for money. ''Serves You Right'' A man named Johnny is promised the chief's process server job if he can arrest Musclebound Pete a local hood. Like the server, not only does he fail, but he gets beaten up. Pete's only weakness is, so Johnny has to dress up like a woman just to get him. ''On the Wagon'' Hitching a ride on a street cleaner wagon, Henry (Shemp) and Elmer return home after the latest late night drinking binge. At home waiting for them are their wives, and wielding Axe mother in law wearing a rolling pin. Hoping to get into the house without being noticed, the boys by mistake break into the door of their neighbors, a professional wrestler and his wife. Realizing where are they, and hoping to save their bones, Elmer and Henry escape onto a 17th story ledge in their drunken stupor, and attempt to get their homes through the windows. ''The Officer's Mess'' on the set of this film]] The day before he is to report to the national guard, Gus Doaks (Shemp), an obnoxious water at a French restaurant, serves up a disaster to a Major and his girlfriend. Obviously the Major is Gus's new commanding officer. Under the impression that the guard is a military camping trip with golf and Ukelele sing alongs. Gus finds himself at fault with his sergeant, who is very willing to offer Doaks up for a "Major" sacrifice. ''While the Cat's Away'' With their wives out of town, two husbands have been living it up too much. Their apartments are a mess, and the hangover never ends. A phone call from the ladies announcing an early return leaves Henry (Shemp Howard) and Johnny (Johnny Berkes) in a frantic rush to get the house cleaned up. Efforts are made much worse by a vacuum cleaner salesman whose trial model explodes, a loose parakeet, and a cat. The building super's wife comes to the rescue with her cleaner, but the boys to lose her dress in the vacuum. Henry and Johnny hide her in a trunk when their wives and her husband choose that moment to arrive at the house. 1936 ''Absorbing Junior'' Johnny's freeloading brother Henry (Shemp), will go to any length to bet on a tip at Belmont, including stealing from Junior's piggy bank. When Johnny's mother-in-law tells them to take Junior to the dentist to have a tooth pulled out, and gives them $2 to give to the doctor, the game is afoot. The money goes to Henry's bookie, and the boys decide to pull Junior's tooth themselves, by tying a string onto the back bumper of a car. But a pet parrot spills the beans, and mother-in-law goes chasing after them with fire in her eye, and a fireplace poker under her coat. 1938 ''Not Guilty Enough'' Andy is taken to court for assaulting his brother-in-law (Shemp). ''Home on the Rage'' Andy mistakenly believes his wife and brother-in-law are conspiring to murder him for insurance. 1940 ''Money Squawks'' The mime payroll has arrived at the Plain Poole's train depot, and station attendants Shemp and Andy must sit on it overnight. A lot of robberies have happened in the area, and the boys' imaginations and paranoia run wild with every strange noise and bump in the night. Mistaking a couple of local hunters and a sheriff as the crooks, Andy and Shemp lead them on a car chase to the mine office and accidentally deliver the payroll to the real robbers. ''Boobs in the Woods'' The bane of Andy's existence is his freeloading brother-in-law Gus (Shemp). After Gus crashes Andy's car into a police car, and instigates Mr. Livingstone (Bud Jamison) to fire Andy from his job at the music store, there is only one thing for Mr. Clyde to do... allow his wife to talk him into taking Gus with them on a camping trip. Gus' loud mouth antagonizes a policeman and a park ranger, and his antics with an axe, a loaded gun, and a noosed rope leave Andy on the receiving end of one disaster after another. Del Lord's direction throws sight gags one after another, in quick fashion. The comedy may not be original, but the laughs are consistently generated. As non-Three Stooges Columbia short subjects go... this is one of the best. ''Millionaires in Prison'' Five millionaires are in prison for drunk driving and manslaughter who share a dormitory jail with 3 other inmates among them is a Professor and Happy. Nick Burton is a good person who served time for armed robbery. The question is that is Burton helping his fellow convicts or trying to make a single buck. ''The Bank Dick'' W.C Fields stars as a film director and uses his persona as a drunk husband with his wife and his savage children. Shemp has a role as Joe Guelpe, a bartender and owner of a cafe. 1942 ''The Strange Case of Doctor Rx'' Police Captain Bill Hurd and Sergeant Sweeney ask private detective Jerry Church to find a Dr.Rx who is a person of interest when 5 mobsters who were all acquitted in court are all found strangled to death by what looks like the work of a serial killer. Shemp stars as Sgt. Sweeney. ''Strictly in the Groove'' The film is based around music and Ozzie and his orchestra wants to organize a swing music show at a local resort but the manager has some opposition. 1943 ''Crazy House'' Shemp costars as 'Mumbo', an O&J stooge who hilariously touts a deal in every reel, "Wanna buy a beehive? You won't get stung," "Wanna buy an anchor? Fresh off the boat." 1944 ''Three of a Kind'' The film stars acrobat Paul Collins, he has two stooges in his act which are Billy Gilbert and Shemp. Paul accidentally falls to his death during a trapeze act. It is up to Billy and Shemp as uncles to guard Jimmy. They later cook for Maxie Rosenblum and are later felt unfit to be guardians to Jimmy, they decide that his step-mother is better off caring for him. ''Open Season for Saps'' After being complained by his wife about the number of nights Woodcock (Shemp Howard) spends at the Hoot Owl Lodge, he takes her on a late honeymoon. The first person they meet is lodge member Joe Wilson, who asks Woodcock to help him retrieve some ill-informed letters to lovely hotel guest Irene. Woodcock soon finds himself caught between his jealous wife, and Irene's angry Latin fiancé Ricardo. 1945 ''Off Again, On Again'' Good Samaritan Shemp saves a girl from an accident, and a newspaper photographer snaps a picture of her thanks. The paper accidentally mixes up the caption making it seem that the girl and shemp are in love. This doesn't go so well for Shemp's fiancée, who breaks off their engagement, leaving him so heartbroken that he asks the rescued girl's boyfriend gangster to kill him. When Shemp's intended returns and apologizes, he realizes that his days are numbered unless he can find the gangster and call off the hit. ''Where the Pest Begins'' Jonathan Bass, an inventor who works for the government, makes the mistake of his life. He moves next door to shemp. Lazy, obtuse, obnoxious, Shemp plays the role of the good neighbor, by wrecking the boss's garage, car, and China and somehow makes it look to bass's wife that Jonathan is clumsily at fault. Bass's newest project is a bomb for the army, and it's only a matter of time before helpful shemp turns up in the library basement offering his assistance. ''A Hit with a Miss'' Playing violin at McGurn's cafe in exchange for a bowl of soup, Prof. Perriwinkle's version of "Pop Goes the Weasel" turns waiter Rameses (Shemp Howard) into a whirlwind, knocking out customer Killer Kilduff, the boxing champ. Promoter Jonesy immediately signs Rameses and Perriwinkle, and the three set out to make Rameses the new champ. At the championship bout, the prof's violin is smashed and he goes mad attempting to find a miracle. Rameses is left to stall and keep Kilduff from pounding him into the canvas. :This film is a remake of Punch Drunks. 1946 ''Mr. Noisy'' Shemp plays an annoying, obnoxious fan at a baseball game and terrorizes all around him! His constant heckling of the Green Sox's best hitter, Ole Margarine (Matt Willis), catches the attention of two racketeers. They're betting their money on the other team, and want Mr. Noisy to distract Margarine enough for the Green Sox to lose the Series. But Ole and the Coach (Brian O'Hara) hatch their own scheme to keep Noisy quiet. ''Jiggers My Wife'' Shemp Howard plays Woodcock, a man who lied to his wife and said he was working late, just so he could play poker with the boys. But last night carousing backfires, when he becomes mixed up with the beautiful Trixie, and caught between his jealous wife and Trixie's jealous serviceman husband. ''One Exciting Week'' Dan Flannery hears of a $10,000 reward and thinks if he wins he can marry his girlfriend Mabel. But he runs into three con artists who set up a scheme to take the $10,000 reward and trick dan into believing that he is their gang leader. ''Society Mugs'' In a remake/ reworking of the Three Stooges short Termites of 1938, Muriel Allen needs an escort to Alice Preston's dinner party, and her maid Petunia mistakenly places a telephone call to Acme Exterminators instead of Acme Escorts. Now it is Shemp and Tom to the rescue, and they're assumed to be cultured college seniors. The guest of honor Lord Wafflebottom leads the pest exterminators' lead in proper American party manners, turning the dinner party into an uncouth display. When mice are spotted, the boys have to go to work, disrupting the party and the entire mansion. 1947 ''Bride and Gloom'' Late for his wedding to Sally (Jean Willes), Shemp borrows a car with no brakes and crashes into a hydrant, which drenches bystander Maisy Keeler (Christine McIntyre). Brakes or not, Shemp heads for the church again, this time with Maisy in the back seat as he gives her a ride home. Of course, her home is across the street from the church, and Shemp is left to face a furious Joe Keeler (Dick Curtis), the boxing champ. Back at his car dealership, Shemp's first order of business is delivering a new car to... the Keelers. Naturally, Sally thinks this is a rendezvous and decides to leave Shemp. She puts their new home up for rent, and who should move in but the Keelers. Shemp knows nothing of this, and decides to go back to his new bride in the middle of the night, and is soon in pajamas in the Keelers' bedroom. Curly Howard 1934 ''Roast Beef and Movies'' In this short, Curly had his own unofficial Stooges team with himself playing the "patsy", George Givot as Gus Parkyurkarkus (a pun of "Henry Parkyarkarkus" character of comedian Henry Parke) who is a combination both a Healy and a Moe-type leader and Bobby Callahan in the "middleman" role. Joe Besser 1938 ''Cuckoorancho'' Joe Besser starred in the short, which had him as a wanderer who gets mistaken for an American millionaire by a guy who is an owner of a hacienda. 1940 ''Hot Steel'' Frank Stewart while at the steel town of Arlington meets his old friend Matt Morrison who gives him a job at Farley Steelyards. Rita Martin, wife of Dave Martin, is having an affair with the company's manager George Barnes. Mrs Carlton and Rita murder Dave by accident and steal a sample of alloy so they can meet their goal of framing Frank for the murder of Dave. Joe plays Siggie Landers. 1944 ''Hey, Rookie'' Jim Lighter who is a producer is fed up with show business. He is mostly fed up with his leading lady Winnie Clark. It's because of this that Jim decides to join the Army. What Jim does not know is that Winnie is not doing it for publicity but rather for the army troops. Joe has the role of a soldier known as Pendleton Pudge Pfeiffer. 1949 ''Waiting in the Lurch'' Joe plays "Eric Loudermilk Pots" a groom who almost misses his wedding because of his obsession to run after fire trucks. 1950 ''Dizzy Yardbird'' Rodney Marblehead (Joe) gets a notice, placing him Sgt. Flin's platoon. Flint keeps up with Rodney's bumbling leading to a bet with Master Sgt. good, who says that Marblehead is coddled, he will wind up on the promotional list in a month. Flint tries to stop his temper, but Rodney still manages to appear on the kp, where he suddenly dumps glue into the mess hall's soup. Adding to Flint's woes are Rodney's great dane Homer, who misses his master and tracks him down in a military camp. Disturbing the training. 1951 'Fraidy Cat Wide awake detective agency investigators Joe and Hath have failed to solve the antique robberies of the ape gang, and have one more chance from there boss I Katchum. Guarding an antique shop at night, the boys come face to face with a gang of crooks who have a real gorilla. 1952 ''Aim, Fire, Shoot'' Visiting Starvania's army camps to find his fiancée Olga. Joe and his friend Hath find themselves near the gate of gate victory when war breaks out with Thirstgaria. The draft has a new meaning after a wind blows the boys next to the victory induction center. They are bumbling during drill and artillery training, with help from an errant skunk, constant aggravation to Sgt. Bonebreaker. Complicated matters are Sarge's jealousy over WAC Cpl. Olga. ''Caught on the Bounce'' Joe is a desperate homeowner attempting to get $2500 to stop the foreclosure of his mortgage. His wife's aunt is wealthy, so the family goes on a train in an attempt to borrow money from her. Daddy, Junior and the porter attempt to boost mother into the upper berth. The next day, they learn that their bank was recently robbed, and there is a $5000 reward if anyone's able to capture him. The family meets Aunt Tildy on the train, and discover that bad investments have left her broke. Fortunately, the robber appears on the train and Daddy catches him. 1953 ''Spies and Guys'' Joe is a bumbling Private in the army of the "Republic of Jugonutzland" the bane of his sergeant's existence. In an attempt to impress Lt. Morey an officer in the Intelligence division. Joe volunteers for a mission near the enemy with the sarge. The two soon find themselves under fire at a blown up village. Lt. Morey is also a prisoner, who has gone undercover in the enemy's camp. She is able to distract the firing squad and get herself and Joe out of there. 1955 ''G.I. Dood It'' A reworking of Dizzy Yardbird and contains old footage along with new footage but keeps the same plot. Directed by Jules White. ''Hook a Crook'' A gorilla escapes from the zoo and walks the city rooftops, goes into Mrs. Van Sickle's house, and steals her diamond necklace. Wide awake detective agency investigators Besser and Hawthrone respond to her call for help, and corner the suspect to an antique dealer's room in the same place. Mistaking it for a crook in disguise, the boys confront the "Chimney- pansy", just as the two antique thieves enter the scene. 1956 ''Army Daze'' Joe is a rookie in the Starvanian army, newly stationed at Camp Fullabullets with his best friend Pvt. Hawthorne. Sgt. Bonebreaker is sweet on Joe's fiancée Olga, which leads to additional tensions in drill training as the Sarge deals with Joe's and Hawth's absent-mindedness. Meanwhile, Col. Pretzelbender is dealing with a supposed reports of enemy spies on the base, when he's not stuck in the middle of one of Joe and Bonebreaker's disagreements. Joe DeRita 1947 ''The Good Bad Egg'' Joe Priggle (DeRita) is an inventor staying at a rest home where he tells the story to its proprietor (Dent) his strong dislike, eggs. It all starts when he fouls up one of his inventions to a client (Emil Sitka) when he finds an egg with an address written on it, the address belongs to a single woman Florabell (Granger). He ends up marrying her, but soon finds out that she has an obnoxious brat of a son Rudolph (Norman Ollestead). He causes nothing but trouble for Joe by shooting him in the rear end with a slingshot, a BB gun and gets blown to bits by a miniature cannon. Meanwhile, Joe is busy working on his latest invention, a state-of-the-art dishwasher. The first time he uses it, it destroys all of Florabell's fine chinaware. ''Jitter Bughouse'' Joe is the leader of the Nov-Elites and are rehearsing in case they get a job. Joe thinks that his music can cure the mentally imbalanced. This comes in handy when his girlfriend Myrtie (Christine McIntyre) is a nurse to Mr. Lark (Emil Sitka). The group heads to the Lark Mansion to play music for Mr. Lark. In the end it works out and Myrtie and Joe can get married after all. Other ''Africa Screams'' Joe and Shemp both appeared in this film. Category:Filmographies